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Acts of St Codratius

tr. Conybeare, 1894

codratius

In the time of Decius the Emperor, and of Valerian, the Christians were carried off from many cities and taken to Nicomedia, the metropolis of Bithynia, and were cast into prison. And there they were kept under custody and were dragged before the court. If they consented to eat of the unclean meats offered to idols, they were then released without torture and sent to their respective homes. In consequence whereof great terror fell upon the Christians of the above-mentioned city, and some hid themselves in the mountains and some in the fields. But there were goodly champions and worthy servants of God, who, with good courage, walked about the city with great joy, saying, “O that we may be worthy to glorify God by an avowal of His love for man!”

And there was one of them whose name was Codratius, who was of goodly stature and fair to see, and eloquent, and was held in great distinction by all men, and was the leader of all in his reverence to God, and was ardent in his faith. He approached the turnkey and the soldiers, and gave them much money, that they would allow him to minister to the prisoners, his brethren who were in prison, and to dispense to each of them his due of care. So he went boldly and ceased not from going in unto them; and thus he encouraged those who were of good heart and willing, to suffer martyrdom for their Lord. And he besought them to remember him without fail; but the weak in heart, and them that were cast down, he encouraged, and comforted, that they might not have fear, but rather rejoice the more. And he told them that most men do not leave this life at their own good pleasure, but with great trouble and in pain, and yet here in this transitory life they have not met with rest, and they have not forestalled nor made themselves worthy of the life to come. But he who mortifies himself for the sake of God, wins many and great goods both in the temporal life and in the life to come. All this he did as champion of the faith.

Now the Consul of that province came forward and sat down in public on his throne of judgment, and ordered the servants of God to be brought before him. And when they came and stood before him, the Consul said to them: “Let each of you tell his name and his race, his rank and his country.” But the blessed Codratius could not restrain his enthusiasm and his religious fervour; but on a sudden, at that very moment, came forward to hasten to the Lord. And pushing himself forward in front of all the brethren, because he was last of all, and without anyone constraining him so to do, he leaped forward, fearing lest some one of those who had already engaged in the struggle should faint in heart before the torture, and deny his faith. For he saw some of the brethren pale and stupefied by the diverse tortures they had undergone, and he feared that they might yield in their resolution. So he came forward to assist them, like a noble champion and knight of Christ that he was. And before they could any of them make answer, he said: “We are called Christians, this is our name; but there is one honour for all of us and one freedom; we are servants of Jesus Christ, our heavenly King, and of the unseen God; and our city is the heavenly Jerusalem, in which Christ giveth mansions to His true soldiers. Behold, thou hast heard everything.” But the Consul wondered at the man’s boldness, and said to the turnkey: “Bring forward this presumptuous man, let us see what his impudent arrogance will benefit him.” But he of his own freewill pushed the brethren this side and that, and boldly stepped forward, and crossed himself, and said to the Consul: “Of my own free will I stand before thee, O Consul, having made myself the antagonist of thy father, Satan. I am ready to meet all means to which thou mayest resort against me. Therefore do what thou wilt, for thou shalt learn from the very trial of them that the soldiers of Christ are invincible; for we have taken upon us His seal, and are willing and ready to combat thy machinations.”

But the Consul said: “Tell me, thou miscreant, first thy name and thy rank and fortune.” Codratius answered, “Hear first that we are Christians; but fortune we know not, for we are servants of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Consul said: “It is not meet that thou shouldst call thyself a Christian, because, if so, the edict of the Emperor slays thee. But since I behold that thou art a clever man, and of fair seeming, wherefore I think that thou must be of great family. Therefore obey me, and I will write about thee to the Emperor, and will win for thee a judicial post, if only thou wilt sacrifice to the gods.” But Codratius answered: “Hold thy barbarous tongue, O Consul; there are not many gods, but one God our Father, from whom are all things, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom is all, and we through Him.” The Consul said: “Nay, but there are many gods, and there are twelve chief gods, in whom thou must trust, and to them do homage.” But the Holy Codratius made answer by citing the words of Homer (Il., ii. 204): “‘Tis not a good thing, a many of rulers, let there be one ruler.” And the Consul said: “Aye, but there is another passage which thou hast not seen, so turn thy regard to this further verse.” Codratius said: “What verses?” The Consul replied, “Those which Homer utters about Poseidon, how that he mustered the clouds, and stirred up the sea with all the winds and canopied it with mists; and the Father of gods on high thundered frightfully, and Poseidon came and shook the earth and the city of the Trojans and the ships of the Achæans. Much also did he say concerning Zeus, what deeds of valour he wrought. Dost thou behold his greatness?” Codratius replied: “Is it all true or false, that which Homer said about them?” The Consul replied, “It is true.” Codratius answered: “And all that he said concerning their foul desires and adultery, and their filthy and lewd debaucheries? Must we believe that all this was said truly, when it is conduct which becomes not the gods, but only becomes madmen and disgusting beings? And I blush for thee, that thou permittest thyself to worship the semblance of foul devils, abandoning God. And if thou wilt, I will convince thee from the lips of thy own poet, that they are filthy demons.” The Consul answered: “Thou hast begun to scold and abuse, and I fear lest the king may be angry with me, because I have permitted thee in my forbearance thus to speak. But however I will at once make away with this presumptuousness of thine.” Codratius said: “What thou callest my presumptuousness, neither thou nor thy king nor anyone else shall be able to take from me.”

Then the Consul bade them strip him and pinion him upon a board, and beat him with bludgeons, and ask him saying: “Tell us thy name.” But he gave them no answer. And the Consul said to the turnkey: “What is he called?” But they say: “Codratius is his name, and moreover he is of a great family.” The Consul said: “Spare him then, and raise him up from the block.” And he said to him: “O good fellow, what is this that thou hast done, allowing thy rank to be insulted?” And he called him near unto himself, and said to him: “Consent to obey us, and do not abase thy rank and family by the superstition of the Christians, by which thou art ensnared.” Codratius answered: “I have chosen to be an outcast from the house of God rather than dwell in the tents of the sinful,” Then said the Consul: “Obey me, and sacrifice to the gods, since thou art equal in rank to the great Senate of the Romans, that thou mayest not die like one of the evil doers. Thou knowest the edict of the emperors, and of the great Senate, how many thousands they are of good men, that have resolved that not a single one of the Christians shall live.” Codratius replied: “Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the councils of the impious and in the paths of the sinners; that hath not stood, nor sat, in the seats of the wanton.” The Consul said: “Do not deceive thyself with metaphors, O Codratius, for this edict touches all Christians alike, whether a man be poor or rich, whether humble or of high rank; the tribunal spares no one.” And Codratius replied: “It is as thou sayest, for the book that is given by God also says: ‘neither bondsman nor free, neither rich nor poor, neither Barbarian nor Syrian, neither Greek nor Jew, for we are all one in the Lord.’ But I pray thee to carry out upon me the edict of thy emperors and of the Senate; for I am a Christian, and my family and my rank depends upon my Lord, who keepeth whole my bright renown, and not upon them who are to-day, but to-morrow are not.” The Consul said: “Obey me, and sacrifice, and rejoice in the good things of life, and in the brightness of this daylight.” And having thus spoken, the Consul wept, and drew deep sighs, and wiped his face with a napkin. But the brave Codratius said: “Shed not thy tears, for they are the odious malice of the serpent and of Beliar who slayeth men. O thou ravening wolf, thou canst not devour the servants of God.” Maximus the judge said: “Out on thee, wicked man; my august master pities thee, and thou revilest him.” Codratius answered: “Let him weep for himself and for the day of his birth, for I am no fitting object for his tears; but who art thou that speakest in his presence? The Consul is enough for us; but if thou wishest to judge me, the Lord will prevent thee.” Asterius, the Quæstor, said: “I swear by thy good Fortune, my lord Consul, if thou thus permittest him, he has no reverence for the Autocrat and Emperor, but will revile him and insult the gods, and bring upon us great peril.” Codratius answered: “Well saith the scripture that is sprung from God: ‘wherefore were the heathens puffed up and the peoples filled with vain thoughts? The kings of the earth were arrayed against me, and its rulers were gathered against the Lord and His anointed.’ For behold even now Christ is judged by impious and vain rulers.” The Consul said: “Strip yonder boaster and again smite him, that he may obey our lords the emperors.”

But the blessed one in his torment thanked the Lord, and said: “Glory to Thee, my Lord God Jesus Christ, that Thou hast made me worthy, who am unworthy and sinful, to bear these tortures for Thy holy name, in order that I too may become a partner with Thy servants. I thank Thee, Lord, and falling before Thee I pray Thee, my God, fulfil my career in Thy holy name, and set upon my confession the seal of the grace of Thy Holy Spirit. Bestow upon me an understanding mind, and unswerving faith; make me wise with Thy immeasurable wisdom; watch me with Thine eyes, Thou that art on high. Now is the time of my deliverance and of my being holpen; now is the time of Thy promises. Receive my prayers, that I also may be glorified by Thy holy name. Fulfil my calling, guide aright my desires, bring me near unto Thy father; avow me as Thine before Him, O my Lord Jesus Christ.”

But the torturers helped one another to scourge him, and five times they took one another’s places, till the flesh of the back of the holy martyr was raised up a palm’s breadth, and the blood flowed down like a river with shreds of His flesh. The Consul said to him: “Dost thou yet believe then in the gods?” But the blessed Codratius answered: “The idols of the heathen are gold and silver, the works of men’s hands; mouths have they and speak not, ears have they, and may not hear; nostrils have they, but shall not smell; hands have they, and may not feel; feet have they, yet walk not; and their throats shall utter no speech. Like unto them shall be they who make them and all who put their trust in them.” Then Prenios, the Consul, said: “Methinks thou wouldest deceive us, since thou utterest such dark words; but obey me, and sacrifice to the gods.” The holy Codratius said: “Since thy light appeareth to be darkness, and thy truth to be folly, hear a bright and clear saying; be it known unto thee, that I reverence not thy gods, and do not obey the edict of Cæsar and of the Senate. Do then quickly whatsoever thou wilt do, and send me on my way direct to the heavenly King.” The Consul said: “Thy horoscope hath dealt out unto thee a great share of shamelessness. I swear by the gods I will not spare thee; but with new-fangled tortures and with a cruel death I will destroy thee.”

And then he waited for a day and bade all the Christian prisoners to be cast into prison. And they brought with them the blessed Codratius, and they took potsherds ground small, and sprinkled them on the ground, and stretched out the saint, and placed a single great stone upon his loins, and made fast his feet and hands in the four holes of the stocks, and fastened chains to his neck. And he lay there many days. But the blessed Codratius, like the noble martyr that he was, endured these bitter and pitiless tortures with piety and fortitude, and swerved not from the faith of Christ. And the Consul set out on a journey to the city of the Niceans, and ordered that the holy martyr be brought in his train. And as he entered the city, he had the saint led in front of him. But the saints walked in great joy, among whom was also the blessed Codratius, like a goodly warrior boasting in his strength. So he entered the battle array in the sheen of his armour, and looked sternly on the hideous fray; and by the mere look of his terrible countenance struck panic into the phalanx of his enemies. Thus also Codratius bore his manacles as if they were a fair badge of honour, and he made merry and was of good cheer and to the fore. So that the Greek philosophers wondered at the fortitude of the Christians and at their endurance, and said: “Truly this faith of the Christians and this ever-present hope of theirs, is a great thing; on account of which they thus endure torture and pain.” And many of them believed in the Lord.

And when they had set the saints before the magistrate, he ordered them to bring forward the holy Codratius; and when he was set before his tribunal, the Consul said to him: “Sacrifice to the gods, O Codratius.” But the holy Codratius said: “I am a servant of Christ, who declares by the prophets that the gods who made not heaven and earth, shall be destroyed.” The Consul said: “It is incumbent upon thee to obey the edicts of the emperors, and not of Christ whom thou callest God.” Codratius answered: “I believe in my Emperor Christ, and not in men, who know not God; it is written that we should pray for them, but in no wise at all sacrifice to them. For what good do ye do to the Cæsar, if ye sacrifice to foul idols; nay, rather ye even do much harm, especially to yourselves.” The Consul said: “If thou prayest for the Emperor, it is right that thou shouldest also listen to his commands and be obedient to them, for it is written for thee, to give unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.” Codratius answered: “All fitting debts upon earth, and whatsoever is right, that will I fulfil unto the Cæsar; but unto my God I strive to fulfil every service of reverence which is due to Him. The Emperor has commanded us Christians either to sacrifice or to die; and we are ready for the sake of the confession which is in Christ to die, not once only, but a thousand times.” Then the Consul said: “Dost thou see how many multitudes of Christians have sacrificed to the gods?” Codratius answered: “Yea, more than all of them am I good and wise, if I sacrifice not. But, however, where are they who have sacrificed, for I would fain behold them.” Then the Consul ordered that they should be led before him; and when they were come, those who had denied their faith, the blessed Codratius fixed upon them a glance full of passion and indignation, and said to them: “Ye miserable wretches, wherefore have ye thus fallen suddenly into trangression, and given yourselves over to Satan, abandoning your rank and station, and denying the Lord Jesus Christ, who for our salvation became our ransom and bought us with His blood? Have ye not learned the resurrection of the dead, and how that Christ cometh a second time with glory and with hosts of angels, to judge the just and the sinners; and to lead the just into life eternal, but to cast the transgressors into fire everlasting and into outer darkness, where the worm endeth not, and where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth? What answer will ye give in the peril of that day, when the hosts of the angels will stand before Him in fear and trembling, and will quail at the sight of us and of the dread tribunal? Open the eyes of your heart and know from what ye have fallen. Ye have abandoned the Eternal King, and have sold yourselves to be worthless slaves, who, finding your Lord without, smite and slay his fellow servant; whom the Lord when He cometh shall cut asunder and give their portion to the infidels. Learn ye, what ye have done from fear of temporal tortures, how that ye have given yourselves over to everlasting tortures. Look ye to yourselves for that which shall happen to you at the hands of the just Judge. Have ye not heard the voice which said: ‘Fear not them who slay the body, but cannot slay the soul; fear rather Him who is able to destroy soul and body in Gehenna’”?

When the blessed Codratius said this, they all with one accord began to cry out with loud voice with tears and to say: “We were afraid, master, of torture, and we were ensnared like the senseless animals, and like sheep that are hemmed in among wolves. Our sins have found us out and surrounded us; we wished to live the temporal life, and we have died to the eternal life. But what we shall do now in our wretchedness, this we know not.” But the blessed Codratius was filled with great joy over their return, and seeing their tears said to them: “Be of good cheer, brethren, for our Lord Jesus Christ is full of noble pity and is compassionate; He is free from vindictiveness and merciful. With many tears, cast yourselves before Him; and stand up even now firm in the confession of Christ, and by His blood shall each of you be saved from his sins. Even though once ye rejected Him with the flesh, yet now be valiant in spirit and conquer.”

But they raised a great lament and bewailed themselves for a long time, and cast themselves on their faces on the ground, and poured dust over their heads, and beat their breasts with stones; and so terrible was the spectacle, that not the Christians only joined in their lamentations, but the very heathens and the pitiless soldiers; so that one would have thought that the very stones cried out and sorrowed with them. For the whole city was aghast at their lamentations, and there was gathered together to the place a multitude of men and women and of children, of Jews and of heathens, and of Christians, who were in hiding, so that the streets and the alleys and the roofs were filled with the multitude of them. But the Consul was wroth thereat, and ordered that the blessed Codratius be hung up and flayed, and the torches be applied to his side. But the brave Codratius recked nothing of the torture, but with great boldness exhorted them to be brave, and said: “Thus is it right, brethren; pray unto the Lord without ceasing, for He is merciful and hears you.” But they said: “We are not worthy to name the holy name of Christ, because we have offended Him.” But he strengthened them, he the holy martyr, and kept saying: “Cry aloud, brethren, cry aloud; our Lord and God is kind; He draws nigh to those who cry out unto Him for help. Despair not, brethren, but come near unto me, and ye shall be emboldened and trust in the Lord.” And they ran and fell down before him in violent trouble, and the whole multitude of those who were come to see wept.

But the holy Codratius lifted his eyes to heaven and cried aloud with tears and said: “O Lord, thou God, who art great and terrible, kind and full of noble pity, who didst send forth Thy only born Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to shine upon us as the Sun of Righteousness, and didst illuminate us who were before in darkness, and didst through Him reconcile us unto Thee, and didst call us who were before in darkness to a holy calling; O merciful One, and compassionate, long-suffering and full of pity, and true, who passest over our sins and wipest out our proud iniquities; for Thy exceeding love of man, O Lord, cast out him that is first in evil and slayeth man, that hateth the good and is full of envy, Satan, the father of idols, and prince of darkness; and receive Thy soldiers back, who for a little were seduced by the snares of Satan, but have now taken refuge in Thy all-powerful goodness. Be not wroth with them, as with rebels. Albeit they were wilful, they stand now unchanged. And if Thou receivest them in Thy loving kindness, receive me also as an offering for the sinful, and make them worthy to mingle with Thy heavenly and true host, and shew to them a sign in Thy goodness, that Thou hast not abhorred, but hast pitied and received the repentant. O Lord Jesus Christ, hear me Thy servant, and instead of them take my soul, that Thy holy name may be glorified for ever.” And all the brethren with one voice cried out aloud a great Amen. And on a sudden the brands were extinguished, and the hands of the torturers flagged, and a cloud of light appeared over the heads of the saints, along with great darkness and grievous smoke which spread itself over the heads of the Consul and of the heathen; so that the Consul on his seat of justice, and all who were with him, were aghast with fear, because they thought that the city was going to be destroyed. And after a long silence, a voice of angels was heard, who praised and glorified God, so that all the Christians believed that there was great rejoicing in heaven over those who had returned to repentance. And after two hours had passed, little by little the darkness cleared away, and the heathen began to see the light which was around the saints. But those who were in iniquity began with loud voice and lamentation to cry out to God and say: “We have sinned, O Lord, expiate our sins; we have transgressed, be propitious unto us.” And the Consul came to his senses, and ordered them all to be cast into prison, and to be carefully guarded. But he ordered the blessed Codratius to be taken down from the tree and confined along with them; for all this time the goodly champion was hanging there. And he commanded him to be watched carefully as before. But the crowd of citizens followed after the saint.

But on the next day the Consul took his seat in the tribunal, and ordered that they should be brought before him; and he questioned them, and examined them straitly, and having found out their obstinacy and their immutable resolution, he commanded that they should all be bound and taken to their several villages and burnt alive. And the saints went on their way with great joy, glorifying God and thanking Him for their unlooked-for deliverance. But the blessed Codratius, along with certain of his companions, he bade them take in front of him to the Hellespont. But the multitude of the saints, according to the command of the ruler, went to their respective villages and died in Christ.

But the Consul came to the city of Apamea, and, as he sacrificed to the foul idols, he ordered the holy martyr to be brought before him. And they brought first of all and before all the rest, the blessed Codratius. Then said the Consul to him: “Sacrifice therefore now to the gods, and thou art delivered from the tortures, that await thee if thou remain obstinate. Codratius answered: “I am a Christian and I sacrifice not to devils.” And when the Consul saw all his flesh lacerated, he wondered and said: “But what more shall I bestow upon this self-murderer?” But the soldiers hesitated to answer, for they saw that tortures had no longer any power to influence his body. Then he ordered that haircloth should be brought and that Codratius should be wrapped in it, and that a hole should be made, and that he should be cast into it, and there scourged with cords. And after one hour he ordered him to be brought out of the cloth, for he thought that he was dead. But he rose up and stood before him; and the Consul said to him: “Do you no longer feel the tortures?” But the holy champion thanked God and said: “Glory to Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, for the arrows of children but wound themselves, and their power is weakened in them. It is Thou that hast given me strength, my God, unto the glory of Thy power.” And the Consul was wroth and said to him: “I will tear all thy limbs asunder piece-meal, thou wretch, if thou still trustest in thy wizardry.” Codratius answered: “Blessed is the Lord my God.” The Consul ordered that he should be again brought before him to Cæsareia on the Hellespont.

And when he came thither he sacrificed there also to the foul devils as he had done at Apamea. He commanded also that the blessed Codratius should be brought before him, and began to question him what he would have; but finding that the holy martyr was firm, he said: “Thou hast had enough now of the tortures which thou hast suffered, so come and sacrifice to the gods.” But the blessed Codratius said: “Inasmuch as thou didst mock me with these tortures, dost thou really suppose that I shall obey thee?” Then the Consul ordered that he should be stretched upon stones, and that they should put upon his hands and feet enormous stones, and beat him for a long time with cudgels. But the blessed one in his torment sang psalms and said: “Many a time they fought with me in my childhood, but mastered me not. On my back the sinful smote me.” And when he had finished the psalm, the Consul said: “Let him be beaten longer, since he has not felt anything.” Codratius replied: “Smite, smite my flesh, which thou thinkest to torture; for thou makest glad my spirit in a way thou knowest not.” Then the Consul said: “Thou hast mastered, O wretched one, an evil demon.” Codratius replied: “I swear by my Saviour Christ, that Jesus Christ my Lord hath mastery over one still worse, and not over one only, but over all his host. To Him be glory everlasting.” And the multitude of the brethren sent forth the Amen.

The Consul was very wroth and leaving alone the blessed Codratius, he ordered a certain two of them to be taken and hung up and flayed, namely, Saturninus and Rufinus, and he commanded that they be hung from one tree. Then they tore them with nails, until the inner parts of them began to pour out. But they in their torments uttered no word, but only besought the holy Codratius and all the brethren who stood near to pray for them. And last of all, the blessed ones themselves fell to praying and said: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God on high, send unto us also help from Thyself and protect us Thy lowly servants, our God, and give us endurance and victory unto the end.” And after a long time when they gave no answer, for from the stress of torture they were not even able to speak, then at last the Consul ordered that they be taken to the high road which leads to the Hellespont, and there slain with the sword. And thus did the blessed ones end their life. And God-loving men met together and gave gold to the executioners, and took their relics and bore them to their respective cities, and with great honour placed them in caskets. But the blessed Codratius he ordered to come after him, along with others also, to a temple of Apollo; and when he had come into the shrine of Apollo he began to constrain the saints to sacrifice to the foul idols. And he said to the blessed Codratius: “Now therefore obey me, fellow, and forsake this madness of thine. Wherefore dost thou insult thy rank and family; recognise the gods and live, and I will bid the physicians take care of thee. Offer sacrifice to Asclepius, and he will heal thee; fear the great Apollo, and the god Hercules, and the king of all, Zeus, and the ineffable Ares, and the ruler of the sea, Poseidon. Didst thou never embark in a ship and know the fear of him?¹ Do homage to the sun; surely he is not dead according to thy blasphemy, even though he be not in the heavens.” The blessed Codratius answered: “I do homage to the true and unseen God, and to His only born Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. And I dread His menaces, and I quail before His all-powerful Godhead, and I will not deny the name of His ineffable power. In dead idols I believe not, and of devils I have no fear. I despise the works of men’s hands, and thee also, who hast but a temporal power. For I, after ten days, go to my Father, but thou wilt end thy life in the bitterness of evil. For thou hast not known the true God, thou son of Satan and brother of Beliar, who sharest with foul devils, more senseless than a hog, mad hound, blooddrinking dragon, fiercer than the wild beasts that devour men. Art thou not ashamed before such a multitude as this, who taste not of anything? The cooks are to be more respected than thyself, who, in name, are the servants of men; for they place the flesh of the slain animal in decent manner drest for the benefit of men, and not of devils. You sacrifice to stones, and you tear and bite yourselves. But let one of them come forward and take your offering, let him appear and seek it of himself, and let him take and eat it. Let your gods that are made of stone say what he wishes that anyone should sacrifice to him, whether a goat, or a bull, or a fowl. Blush, ye sons of shame, for ye are mad and think that we are mad.”

And when he had said this, the Consul ordered the executioners to sprinkle vinegar and salt water upon his wounds, and to rub him with a rough cloth, and to bring red-hot irons and plunge them into his sides. But the blessed Codratius bore the pain bravely and fell to praying gently, and his lips alone moved; and no sound whatever was heard to issue from him. But when the torturers were weary, he ordered them to unfasten him. And on the morrow he first of all bade them carry him to the Hellespont in a vessel (or basket).² And after that the Consul made a journey, and came to the river Rhyndacus, where there met him a governor with a crowd of common people, ostensibly to praise him, but really for the sake of the servant of God; for he longed to see the blessed hero, the fame of whose martyrdom had reached Asia and all the land. And the Consul ordered them to carry him to the village close at hand, which was called the village of the Temple. And there he dressed, and at daybreak he took his seat on the tribunal, and ordered them to bring before him the holy Codratius; and all the crowd was gathered round and looked upon the heroic contest of the holy martyr. But the blessed one shewed to the multitude a face full of joy, though running with blood, according to that which is written. “The countenance of him that rejoices in heart is joyful.” Again he was carried by the torturers; for from the excess of the tortures which he had suffered, he could no longer walk; but they bore him along the road in a cart. And when the saint was brought before him, the Consul said: “Hast thou gained wisdom, O Codratius, or art thou not yet healed of this madness of thine?” But the blessed one with a loud voice replied: “From my childhood am I sane, and from my mother’s womb am I the servant of Christ.”

Then the Consul made them bring an iron brazier and set it upon the fire till it was like fire, and commanded them to set the saint upon it. But the blessed Codratius said: “Away from me, ye ministers of Satan; of my own accord I go.” And making upon himself the sign of Christ, he rose up. But they sprinkled in the brazier pitch and oil. But the holy Codratius began to sing a psalm, and said: “O God, look upon me to help me, and O Lord, hasten to assist me; let them be ashamed and confounded who sought my life: let them be turned back and ashamed who will to do me evil.” And having finished his psalm, he said to the Consul: “This fire of thine is more liquid, and the iron of this brazier is softer than thy heart.” And when long time had passed by, and the fire came not nigh at all unto the holy one of God, the Consul ordered them to take him off the brazier and to bear him a little way outside the village to a certain rising ground, and there to behead him. And as they carried the blessed Codratius, he continued to sing psalms and to say: “Blessed is the Lord, who hath not given us to be the prey of their teeth.” And the brethren who stood by sang psalms and went with him as far as the place where he was to die. And having come thither, and having thanked God, and having prayed for a long time, then he finished his blessed course in Christ. But the brethren took his holy body and laid it carefully in a fitting place.

Let us continually glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and for ever and ever, Amen.

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